


Snail Mail

by SonjaJade



Category: Original Work
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Cards, Christmas Fluff, Gen, New Neighbors
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 11:17:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9069217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SonjaJade/pseuds/SonjaJade
Summary: Holiday cards were just the best, but this one trumped them all.





	

It took him almost an hour to get to the post office, slow as he drove these days.  After waiting in a very long line, he finally got to the counter and purchased three sheets of beautiful Christmas stamps, then made the long trek home, a CVS bag on the seat containing four boxes of greeting cards themed for the season.  
  
After a cup of microwaved coffee to warm up, wrinkled fingers flipped the pages of a worn-out address book before gripping a fine pen- one of a pair that he’d been gifted at his retirement- and he began to lovingly hand write messages of love and joy in shaky script.  Carefully, he printed the addresses on the envelope (and slapped on a return label from an old AARP welcome kit), then stuck a stamp on the upper right corner.  He smiled at the sight.  Nothing like sending warm greetings at the coldest part of winter.  
  
Like pretty much everything, it took him a long time to finish his task.  But when he did, he looked at the scattered red and white envelopes on his kitchen table and felt proud of himself.  He piled the cards into a shoebox so he could take them to the post office in the morning to send them on their way.  
  
Days passed.  Though he’d sent cards all over the country, no one called to let him know they’d been received or to chat and catch up, and no one sent anything in return.  He put up his small tree and hung garland around the front window, put a wreath on the door and a small display of lights on the boxwoods.  Maybe the mail was just slow because of all the packages coming and going this time of year.  
  
More days passed.  Christmas was only two days away, and not a single Christmas card had yet arrived.  He sighed as he fried himself an egg for a sandwich, watching the mailman skip his mailbox.  That night he watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer on the television and went to bed.  
  
Christmas Eve arrived with the electric bill and an ad for a plumber offering a New Year’s septic tank check special.  
  
“There’s just no spirit anymore,” he said sadly to his dog, who lazed in front of the sofa.  Angrily, he reached up and yanked the wreath off the door, flung it out on the lawn and slammed the door.  
  
He only left the rest of the decorations up because he didn’t want to fool with putting everything away just yet.  Instead, he opened the liquor cabinet and poured himself a shot of whiskey.  Then another.  And just as he was about to pour a third (his medication be damned), there was a knock at his door.  
  
“Who the hell could that be?” he asked, noticing the dog had raised his lazy head to look at the sound.  
  
He opened the door to find a boy on his stoop.  He looked about eight or so, and an older woman (his mother?) stood at the sidewalk, her hands in her pockets and smiling at him.  
  
“Can I help you?” he asked, cracking the storm door.  
  
“Hello, sir!” the boy said with a grin.  “We just moved in last week, two doors over!”  The boy pointed down the block and jabbered on about where they’d moved from and why they’d moved here.  Then his hands reached out and handed him a small pail with a lid and a card taped to it.  
  
“Anyway, Mom and I wanted to spread some Christmas cheer- I mean holiday cheer.  I’m sorry, I just thought with your tree you celebrated Christmas…”  
  
The old man blinked.  This young lad had come to his home and offered him treats and a card and didn’t even know him!  And then apologized for assuming he was Christian.  
  
“No, you’re right!  I don’t know too many others who put up trees and lights this time of year!”  He waved at the woman at the sidewalk.  “Please, come in and warm up!  Let’s get to know each other a bit!  I’ll make us some hot chocolate!  Come in!”  
  
He and the dog welcomed the neighbors in and talked for a long time.  The cookies and homemade candy were delicious and by the end of their meeting, he was so happy they’d stopped by.  
  
And though their card was the only one he got that year, it was the one that meant the most to him out of every card he’d ever gotten in his whole life.  It sat on top of his TV until February- when the young man brought more cookies and a Valentine's card.


End file.
